When her best friend refused to believe that her husband was cheating on her, Nancy was determined to open her eyes. She set up a foolproof trap, but as the plan was developed, Nancy was not prepared for the explosive consequences.
Very well, this is Nancy. Have you ever had that friend who wears “rose-colored glasses” thicker than a disco ball? Yes, that’s Melissa. Victor, Melissa’s husband, is the personification of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The perfect husband on the outside, but on the inside… well, let’s say that his loyalty roams freely like a stray dog…
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Brooklyn Beckham congratulates his father-in-law on his birthday after not doing it with his father
A couple in love | Source: Unsplash
A couple in love | Source: Unsplash
For a year, rumors about Victor’s small “extracurricular activities” swirled around the city like rolling plants in a dusty desert.
Outings to bars with “mysteryful women”, “working nights” too long that ended too close to dawn in that shabby karaoke bar on Elm Street… all the signs were there, bright as neon.
But Melissa? Blessed be it, she clung to the fantasy of her “perfect” marriage like a life raft in a hurricane.
A man holding a red rose | Source: Pexels
A man holding a red rose | Source: Pexels
At first, it was nice. You know, something like “ignorance is happiness.”
But seeing Melissa walking on eggshells around Victor, making excuses for his suspicious behavior, began to irritate me. The girl was practically begging to have her heart broken!
A worried woman sitting on the couch | Source: Freepik
A worried woman sitting on the couch | Source: Freepik
One Tuesday night, armed with a bottle of the strongest wine I could find and my heart full of frustration, I went to Melissa’s house. Do you know that feeling that you have to let go of everything, no matter the consequences? That’s exactly where I was.
Melissa opened the door with a radiant smile that hesitated as soon as she saw my stormy expression.
“Hello, Nancy,” he said. “What brings you here?”
A woman with a bottle of wine in her hand | Source: Pexels
A woman with a bottle of wine in her hand | Source: Pexels
I pushed her, with the bottle of wine threatening to spill into my trembling hand. “We have to talk,” I said.
Melissa’s smile disappeared completely, replaced by a flash of concern. We settled down on the couch and I started telling all the rumors, the suspicious disappearances, the way Victor’s eyes fixed too much on other women.
But Melissa didn’t give in and her eyes filled with tears. “You’re making a fool of yourself, Nancy,” he snorted. “Victor would never do something like that. He loves me.”
A furious woman | Source: Midjourney
A furious woman | Source: Midjourney
My frustration overflowed. “Does he love you?” I practically shouted. “Love does not involve sneaking and hiding phone calls! Melissa, wakes up and smell the coffee, or maybe the cheap perfume that adheres to her clothes.”
That was the last straw. Melissa’s face hardened, her eyes burning with pain and anger. “This is my marriage, Nancy,” he said. “If you can’t support me, maybe you should leave.”
A heartbroken and sad woman | Source: Midjourney
A heartbroken and sad woman | Source: Midjourney
I didn’t intend to open a gap between us, just open his eyes. But it was clear that logic did not win this battle.
Defeated, I took my abandoned wine and left dragging my feet, with the slamming door echoing in my ears the echo of my failure.
Sitting alone in my apartment, I knew I couldn’t leave Melissa like this, living in the paradise of fools. But how could she cross the wall she had built around her perfect little world?
A woman sitting on the floor | Source: Pexels
A woman sitting on the floor | Source: Pexels
An idea, crazy and impulsive, came to my mind. Maybe I could give Melissa the undeniable PROOF she needed.
Taking a deep breath, I picked up the phone and dialed Victor’s number. The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity before a soft and familiar voice answered.
“Hello, Nancy, this is unexpected,” Victor said, with a hint of surprise in his tone.
A woman with a cell phone in her hand | Source: Freepik
A woman with a cell phone in her hand | Source: Freepik
Ugh, how cheeky! I gathered courage and channeled my anger into a voice full of fake flirting.
“Eh, Victor,” I purred, “guess what?” I’ve been promoted! To celebrate, I was thinking of having a small ‘meeting’ with a special friend this weekend. And guess who immediately came to my mind?”
Silence. I held my breath, wishing he would bite the hook.
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
“Well?” I insisted, trying to look indifferent. “Are you coming…?”
Then, a low giggle ran through the phone. My stomach tightened. “Well, Nancy,” Victor said, in a silky soft voice, “I’m always willing to have a good time. Tell me more…”.
The sound of Victor’s giggle gave me a chill, a mixture of disgust and a wave of morbid satisfaction. He had bitten the hook. Now came the hard part.
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“Actually,” I intervened, trying to sound carefree, “I was thinking of something a little more… discreet.” He could practically hear the question marks that formed in his head. Perfect.
“Discreet, huh?” he repeated, with a hint of intrigue in his voice. “What did you have in mind?”
I took a deep breath. I was already there. “There’s a new luxury pub downtown,” I said, dropping the name of the same pub he frequented with his “other women.” “I’ve heard that it has a private room, perfect for a small… celebration.”
A bar | Source: Unsplash
A bar | Source: Unsplash
A moment of silence followed. Then, a low whistle was heard through the phone. “That’s interesting, Nancy,” Victor said, with a slightly more hoarse voice. “Are you sure about this? You know, Melissa…”
“Don’t worry about Melissa,” I cut her. “You won’t find out anything… I promise you. It will be just you and me.”
There was another pause, this time longer. My heart was beating hard in my chest. Did you suspect anything? Had he ruined the whole operation?
A frightened woman | Source: Midjourney
A frightened woman | Source: Midjourney
Finally, Victor spoke. “Very well, Nancy,” he purred. “You’ve convinced me. Tell me what time and I’ll be there… in your arms, honey.”
I felt such a great relief that I almost dropped my phone. I had accepted. My bet had been worth it. “Great!” I said, forcing a light tone. “I’ll send you the details later. Make sure you come alone, okay?”
“Don’t even mention it,” Victor laughed. “See you, baby.”
A man with a mobile phone in his hand | Source: Pexels
A man with a mobile phone in his hand | Source: Pexels
And the line was cut. I stared at the phone, with euphoria and fear bubbling in my stomach. I had set the trap, but what now? Would Melissa believe me? And more importantly, would it be strong enough to face the truth, no matter how ugly it was?
With a mischievous smile, I sent a message to Melissa, apologizing profusely for my outburst the other night.
“Nancy,” he replied, with a message full of anger. “Can we talk about this later? Now I’m overwhelmed.”
A woman typing on her phone | Source: Unsplash
A woman typing on her phone | Source: Unsplash
I wasn’t willing to give up. I bombarded her with messages, each one overflowing with false remorse and a desperate plea to meet for a drink.
“Come on, Mel,” I told him, “let’s have a quick drink and clarify things. I invite. This Saturday. Please.”
Finally, on Friday afternoon, I received a one-word response: “Okay.”
A woman looking at her cell phone | Source: Pexels
A woman looking at her cell phone | Source: Pexels
Victory! He arrived on Saturday. Today was the day I would unmask Victor as the lying and cheating weasel he was. I spent hours getting ready, putting on the most elegant dress I found.
Upon entering the luxury pub, I felt completely out of my comfort zone.
As he had promised, Victor was already there, perched on the bar, having a glass with ice. His eyes lit up when he saw me.
“Nancy,” she exclaimed, with a soft smile on her lips, “you are absolutely… like a goddess.”
A man and a woman in a pub | Source: Pexels
A man and a woman in a pub | Source: Pexels
I sketched a shy smile. “Thank you, Victor,” I purred, containing the wave of disgust that went up my throat. “Do you mind if I join you?”
He pointed to the empty stool next to him. We settled down, chatting uncomfortably while the waiter prepared me a drink. Victor kept looking at me, with a flash of suspicion that replaced his initial fun.
He finally began, with a voice full of curiosity: “What is the reason for that sudden change of attitude, Nancy? Normally you don’t like crowded bars or… well… me.”
A man and a woman talking in a pub | Source: Pexels
A man and a woman talking in a pub | Source: Pexels
He caught me. I cleared my throat, mentally looking for a convincing story.
“Honestly, Victor,” I confessed, beating my eyelashes to give effect, “I’ve been kicking myself since dinner the other night. You were so kind, so attentive… that you awakened something in me.”
Victor raised his eyebrows. It was time. It was time to attract him.
A smiling man | Source: Pexels
A smiling man | Source: Pexels
I leaned more towards him. “Maybe,” I said, with my cheeks lit with shame, “I was a little afraid to act according to my feelings before. But hey, life is too short, isn’t it?”
A slow smile was drawn on Victor’s face. He ran me from head to toe and his gaze stopped too much on some curves. I felt a wave of nausea, but I contained them. All this was for Melissa.
Suddenly, my phone rang in the bag. A message from Melissa. My heart raced. “I’m going there,” he said.
A man leaning towards a woman | Source: Pexels
A man leaning towards a woman | Source: Pexels
I quickly wrote a one-line answer: “Come directly to the bar.” I put my phone back in my bag and took a deep breath.
At that moment the door of the bar opened and Melissa entered.
My signal. I wrapped my arms around Victor’s neck and leaned over to kiss him. “Bess me, idiot,” I whispered dramatically.
Victor, clearly nervous, hesitated for a split second before kissing me back. It was a clumsy and uncomfortable kiss, but enough. I turned away, with a triumphant smile illuminating my face.
Man and woman kissing in a pub | Source: Pexels
“See, Melissa?” I said, turning to my friend.
“This is what I was talking about! Your husband is a complete idiot.”
The smile disappeared from Melissa’s face, replaced by a mask of amazement and pure disbelief. Victor, however, jumped to his feet, his face red.
“Melissa, honey,” he stammered, “it’s not what it seems! She is the one who…”
An extremely shocked man | Source: Midjourney
An extremely shocked man | Source: Midjourney
“Don’t even try to get out of this by lying, Victor!” I cut him off, enjoying the momentary change of power. “It’s over!”
But before I could throw myself fully into the complaint, Victor took out his phone. I was invaded by a feeling of nauseating terror. He pressed a button and a voice filled the air: my voice. Crystalline, unmistakable.
A young smiling woman | Source: Pexels
A young smiling woman | Source: Pexels
“Hey, Victor,” the voice purred, “guess what? I’ve been promoted! To celebrate, I was thinking of having a small ‘meeting’ with a special friend this weekend. And guess who immediately came to my mind?”
The voice of the phone was mine, the exact words I had used to set the trap. Victor had recorded our conversation. I had been caught and my elaborate plan had failed miserably.
A man with a mobile phone in his hand | Source: Pexels
A man with a mobile phone in his hand | Source: Pexels
“You see, honey,” Victor finished, with a voice full of false sincerity, “I told you that she was the one who was insinuating to me. I’m innocent. I just came for a drink. It was all his business.”
Melissa’s face squirmed with anger and confusion. He looked between Victor and me, staring at the phone he had in his hand. The silence was prolonged, thick and suffocating.
“NANCY,” Melissa shouted, “it’s… RIGHT?”
An extremely angry woman | Source: Pexels
An extremely angry woman | Source: Pexels
I got a lump in my throat. I wanted to scream, give explanations, but the words didn’t come out.
The weight of my actions oppressed me, heavy and suffocating. Shame burned on my cheeks, hotter than any cocktail I had ever tasted.
“I…” I stammered. “I just… I wanted you to see…”.
A stunned woman | Source: Pexels
A stunned woman | Source: Pexels
“See what?” Melissa cut me off, raising her voice.
“See how you ruin my marriage with your lies and accusations? You almost threw overboard the best thing that has ever happened to me, all because of a twisted suspicion!”
His eyes filled with tears. “Do you call yourself my best friend? Is that how you treat me?”
A sad woman covering her face | Source: Pexels
A sad woman covering her face | Source: Pexels
I opened my mouth to apologize, but the words died in my throat. Melissa was right. My wrong attempt to help her had failed miserably. He had hurt her, he had betrayed her trust, and all for nothing.
Victor, feeling his advantage, put a comforting hand on Melissa’s shoulder. “Now, now, honey,” he murmured. “Don’t listen to her. It’s clear that she’s jealous of what we have.”
A man looking maliciously | Source: Pexels
A man looking maliciously | Source: Pexels
Melissa gave him a watery smile and leaned towards him. My stomach was cromsing. Had she been so blinded by my suspicions that she had overlooked the real affection between them? Or was Victor such a good actor?
“Get out of my life, Nancy,” Melissa shouted. “And don’t contact me again.”
The purpose of his voice could not be denied. I burst into tears when I saw Melissa stumble out of the bar with Victor in tow.
A sad woman in a pub | Source: Pexels
A sad woman in a pub | Source: Pexels
A week had passed since that fateful night. Melissa’s silence was deafening. My calls were left unanswered, my messages were left read. Social networks confirmed my worst fear: I had been blocked.
Sitting alone in my apartment, repeating the scene over and over again in my head, I felt that a wave of hatred towards myself invaded me. He had screwed up to the bottom.
So, was I wrong? The answer, unfortunately, is clear. Yes. Yes, I was wrong. Very wrong.
Also read: I shortened my bachelorette party when I found out that my fiancé’s ex attended his bachelor party
A woman with watery eyes | Source: Unsplash
A woman with watery eyes | Source: Unsplash
My intentions, although wrong, may have arisen from a place of care. But how did I do it? A complete disaster.
I understand. Looking back, my whole plan to unmask Victor was a garbage dump wrapped in a shipwreck. But, honestly, do you think I was the villain here? Of course I messed up, and a lot. But Melissa deserved to know the truth, didn’t sn’t it? Or did I go too far for meddling? Tell me what you think.
